<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Birthday and Reunion by Ghel23</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25857112">Birthday and Reunion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghel23/pseuds/Ghel23'>Ghel23</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cloud Strife's Birthday, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:41:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,599</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25857112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghel23/pseuds/Ghel23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud didn't have any reason to celebrate his birthday until he was reunited with the person he wasn't expecting to see again.</p>
<p>One-shot.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough &amp; Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Birthday and Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello there!</p>
<p>This is my attempt to do a one-shot fic and it's for cloud's birthday. ha!</p>
<p>I was feeling a bit down so I put them into words through the eyes of Cloud. Sorry.</p>
<p>Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read and I hope the piece is okay.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘twas chilly morning of August 11th when Cloud woke up from the ringing bells of his phone alarm. It was already 0900h, but he still didn’t feel like getting up after snoozing the phone for over 5 consecutive times. The coldness in his room mirrored the indifference he felt in his heart on this supposed special day. Since his mother died, he’d been spending his life in solitude. His mother who’d given him everything despite being the only breadwinner. His mother whom he vowed to pay back for all the sacrifices she made to provide a home, food, and love. It’s too late now – five years too late – and it’s been a long time since he really celebrated his birthday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His friends – Tifa, Barret, Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs – had long given up on pleading for him to celebrate this once-a-year-occasion. They didn’t understand, it seemed. Broody and loner were among the personalities they attribute to him. “It’s been five years, Cloud” they said. “Your mom wouldn’t like you to be alone on your birthday.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His friends were partly right, of course, but he didn’t care. In his mind, he didn’t deserve to be happy if he couldn’t save a good person like his mom in a fire accident. </p>
<p>Five years ago, he was in university library pulling an all-nighter group study with his friends when he didn’t hear his phone ring. He didn’t hear because he was busy observing his friends talk about everything and nothing. Next thing he knew, he was talking to a detective asking him to go to mortuary and identify a body – a burned body.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hi baby. It’s mom here. I know you’re with your friends studying and I was hoping to speak to you before… Well, never mind that. I want you to know that I love you – always. But, today onwards, you’ll need to look after yourself because I won’t always be here, you know… I’m holding the picture we took last summer. *sniff* We may not have everything, but we were happy. Right? I wish I could give you more and… *cough cough* anyway, I wish you’ll find yourself a girlfriend and introduce her to me when *cough cough* the time comes. I love you, Cloud.” <em>Click. If you wish to save this message press – </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cloud re-saved the voicemail his mother left him the night of the fire – the night she bravely faced the flames and death while clutching the picture and phone to her chest. He wanted to go back to sleep but he needed to be somewhere. He got out of the bed and proceeded to the washroom to start the day.</p>
<p>Later, he went to his flat’s underground parking and walked toward his motorbike. He decided to wear a light blue muscle fit oxford shirt paired with olive green tapered pants and white sneakers today because his mother always told him he looked good in blue. After donning his helmet over his spiky blonde hair, he started the bike and revved through the opened gate. It took him about half an hour to reach his destination – Gaia’s Eternal Garden. He hopped off his bike and looked around the cemetery. He observed several burials with visitors nearby as he paced towards his mother’s grave. When he reached his mother’s plot, he noticed a new burial next to it. He noted the text on the gravestone – In memory of the loving mother in slums, Elmyra Gainsborough – and the numerous bouquets of flowers placed delicately around. “Shit. Sorry, mom. I forgot the flowers” he whispered softly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last name of the deceased next to him was awfully familiar. He stood there for several moments thinking pensively before he felt another person’s presence beside him. He glanced sideways and saw a small brunette wearing a black off-shoulder dress with pink ribbon straps and pink bow tied around the waist. He watched her gracefully placed a basket full of flowers and observed that the sleeves of the dress reached her elbows; its length was just below her knees, and that she was wearing white sneakers.<br/>
</p><p>Cloud was taken aback when a pair of doleful emerald eyes looked up at him. “Aerith?” he uttered. “What are you doing here?” he grimaced and facepalmed himself inwardly after realising the stupid question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My foster mom, Elmyra” she looked away from him. “She passed last week.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Aerith” he sympathised. “I didn’t know. It’s been so long since...”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Five years was it?” she replied. There were fresh tears forming around her eyes caused by a different reason in the last few days. “I’m sorry. My eyes seem to have minds on their own and just water at any time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“S’okay”, Cloud assured her. He reached into his pocket, took a handkerchief, and offered it to her while looking away. “Here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks, Cloud. Reliable as ever”, she murmured. Aerith gently wiped the tears from her eyes and stretched her arm to return the cloth when he said, “You can keep it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright. Like a memento”, she smiled at him. She looked on to the gravestone in front of Cloud and gently knelt on the ground to take several flowers from her basket. Then, she placed the flowers on Cloud’s mother’s grave. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“W-wha… You don’t have to do that, Aerith” he interjected. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think your mother will like it if you come all the way here and not give her some flowers.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“B-but…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heya, Mrs. Strife. My name’s Aerith. Cloud and I knew each other from high school. Sadly, I haven’t seen him in a long time after I left to study at Junon University” she spoke completely ignoring Cloud’s earlier protest. “I hope you like purple tulips, Mrs. Strife. My mom loved these and I could always bring your favorite flowers next time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aerith”, Cloud sighed. He’s not surprised to witness Aerith’s kindness and resilience. In all honesty, he was the one who pushed her and everyone else away in the last five years. He’d tell her to stop but he thought better of it. “She’ll love that... Also, her favorites were irises and primrose.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Duly noted.” Aerith stood up and gently patted the dirt from her dress. “So, Cloud. We should do lunch. After all, here we are meeting again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“...” He didn’t eat breakfast and had no other plans this day. “Sure, I know a place. Do you need a ride?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s fine. I can take the sub –”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t be silly. I’m officially offering unless you don’t like riding bikes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You sure you won’t charge me?” she replied as she arched one eyebrow coyly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not today”, he retorted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cloud and Aerith bid their goodbyes to their mothers and walked together towards the parking lot. Silence hung in the air between them. It has been a long time since they saw each other and spoke. Nevertheless, he hasn’t forgotten their last conversation all those years. He didn’t forget how her eyes twinkled in hopes and ambition as she shared her dreams to pursue a career in music production. He didn’t forget how his heart ached and shattered into several pieces because he was supposed to confess his feelings for her during their grad night ball. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Earth to Cloud”, she interrupted his reminiscence. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I said, where did you park?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh. Uhh...” he turned his head and scanned their surroundings. “Just after this row. Beside the blue van right there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see”, she hummed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When they arrived at the spot, Cloud handed the helmet to Aerith and helped her sit behind him with both of her legs in one side. “You can hold to my shoulders or something.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmmm. I’m not risking it.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and Cloud momentarily stopped breathing. Noticing the stiffness around his abdomen, Aerith asked, “Too tight?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No”, he quipped. “You ready?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aerith nodded in agreement, leaned on Cloud’s back, then off they went to their new destination. A warm feeling started to emanate within Cloud. Aerith’s presence behind filled him with an unshakable wanting, which was something he hadn’t felt in a long time; the wanting to be there for her in her time of sorrow and the desire for short moment of peacefulness to unend. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They stopped in front of a modest bistro located in Loveless street of sector 8 upper plate. Aerith hopped off first looking up the signage – The Loveless Cafe. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in Midgar. Wasn’t there a theatre here somewhere?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yep. The Loveless opera house had been closed for over 2 years. Someone decided to open up a restaurant here to commemorate the historical theatre”, explained Cloud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I like it. It reminds me of the time I sold flowers here with you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cloud remained seated and flushed red at her fond recollection. He never knew he could still have some lingering feelings for her even after half a decade. Would he even survive lunch with her today?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s go inside.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>####</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The server in the café arrived with the couple’s food orders. Cloud was having a clubhouse sandwich with chips on the side while Aerith ordered fish tacos. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Still a clubhouse kind of guy?”, she teased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Some things don’t change.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Right you are.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cloud nodded and wondered if Aerith was still the same girl he met when she moved to Midgar. She looked a little worn out now with her puffy cheeks and eyes but that’s to be expected in time of grief. Other than that, she still looked young with green eyes that could bore into your soul, slender nose, and pink curvy lips. Her hair was a little shorter than he remembered but still voluminous and amber in sunset. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cloud, you’re staring”, she shyly spoke. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ahem… s’cuse me. How’s your food?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Surprisingly fishy”, she half-joked. “And yours?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Same old, same old.” He offered some of his fries to her to which she gladly took. “H-how did your mom die?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aerith inhaled sharply and let go of a deep sigh. “Cancer… She’d been sick for a while. I tried my best to heal her… or rather, make the pain bearable for her” she paused. “But you know, in the end, I couldn’t save her.” Her eyes started welling up again and she stared at the man sitting across her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cloud, why did we stop being friends?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His food was long forgotten as he pensively stared on his plate. He thought long and hard – not because he was looking for an excuse but because he had none. He didn’t mean to cut communications with her. When his mom died, Aerith called him. She called him earnestly and relentlessly. Then, he changed numbers and the calls stopped – his world stopped. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Aerith. I have no excuse nor explanation”, he replied truthfully. “You don’t deserve what I did. I was a crappy friend to you back then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He should have known that Aerith would understand. She’d been in the same situation when she lost her biological mom. He should have kept in touch with her even when she’s far away. If he did, then maybe he would have been there for her when Elmyra got sick. If there’s one thing he regretted the most in the last five years, it was the moment he cut Aerith off his life. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe she was mad at him for what he did. If she was, he wouldn’t blame her. He wouldn’t be angry at her. He couldn’t do so even if he tried. Maybe, this lunch was a mistake. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aerith, I – “</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t hate you, Cloud. I wasn’t angry or mad when you distanced yourself from us.” Her voice was somber. “I would never, okay?” She was gaping at him and he returned it with a knowing smile. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They finished their meal in comfortable silence. Both understood that being together in this moment was enough to make up for lost time. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So…” they said at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aerith chuckled lightly at the happenstance. “What’s next for you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t really have any plans for today. You?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Me either. Would you like to come by the house?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I – uh...”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you still know where it is?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not really”, he lied.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, I do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmmm…” she mused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nothing”, she leered while she titled her head to the side and clasped her hands behind her back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>##</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Amazing”, he loudly breathed. He’d only seen Aerith’s house whenever he dropped by and helped Aerith tend to her flower garden. It was a much smaller patch then compared to the field of flowers currently beholding his sight. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come this way, Cloud.” Aerith waved him over to the hill full of yellow lilies. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They climbed the hill together and sat on a bare grassy patch surrounded by sea of flowers. The sun was shining bright and the weather, albeit a little windy, was getting warm. </p>
<p>“It’s really nice in here. You did a great job, Aerith.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Teehee... I had to work extra hard because my most trusted flower boy disappeared on me”, she lightly joshed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I had to. The pay sucked”, he countered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heyy, I didn’t have enough money then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And now? Care to pay me what you owe for the all the times I carried the heavy loads?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m still broke, you know. But if you insist on getting your payment…” she mischievously grinned. “One date ought to cover everything and more.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tsk… seriously?” He was flustered but quickly recovered to keep his cool.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’ll be a date you’ll never forget. Ever.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She playfully winked at him before Cloud looked away. His heart was beating quite fast and his stomach was in knots. Sure, he thought about dating Aerith many times a long time ago. But –</p>
<p>“I don’t hear a nooooo…” Aerith interrupted his train of thoughts with her singsong voice. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She lightly giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s been too long since I feel light-hearted.”</p>
<p>“Thanks to you, Cloud. I was able to live a little even just for today.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He gently nudged Aerith to the side and laid his head over hers. “Me too. I never had my birthday quite like this.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Upon realization, Aerith abruptly snapped her head up and studied Cloud’s face. “It’s your birthday today?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… Yeah” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And you’re here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I never really celebrate it since my mom died” he started. “As you’re aware, I pretty much shut down every social life I could have… At first, Tifa and Barret understood and gave me some space. Then, either you say too much or you don’t say enough and then they’re gone. Maybe, they realised that they’re better off without me”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Cloud” she comforted him. “You know that’s not true.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aerith repositioned herself to kneel in front of him and grasped his face with both hands. It was rather difficult for her to keep her balance, but she persisted and tenderly stated, “We all need a little help sometimes. Someone to help us look at the flowers, hear the music, and say, everything is all right in the world.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She leaned closer to him and added, “To remind us that it’s not always gonna be this way. That someone will find me, find you, and say it’s just you and me and the rest of our lives.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She yelped when her knees gave away losing her poise and clumsily toppled Cloud to the ground. Cloud reflexively hugged his arms around her body to keep her from getting hurt. They stilled in lounging position with Aerith laying on top of Cloud as he held her in tight embrace. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll remember that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good. Happy birthday, Cloud.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>